John Tucker Edmonds 1846 1874

edmondsallan . good morning to all . When the Edmonds family returned in 1846 to their Homestead " Bellevue " John tucker was only eleven
( 11 )He was a tallish lad for his age . and although he got into trouble with his father on the odd accasion he generally grew into a nice young man . On his way to his 20's , he seem to be a very quite , religious sort of young man . When his brothers were doing their thing , wine, woman & song , John tucker was the one who drove the horse & cart back to " Bellevue " from their supposedly " wild escapades. After Joseph left home in 1859 at the age of 23 , they were also best mates . He missed his best mate . John Tucker at the age of 24 had been and still was doing odd farm work for James Kemp who had several rural properties in the Bay of Island area. John was actually earning some reasonable monies , which although his father wanted him to put the monies he earn't into assisting the family .,he put only a very small portion .
While working on one of James Kemp's farms he met a young maori girl , slightly younger than himself. they both liked each other in a very big way & started to see each other quite a often she was " Maria
Wakawiringa " born on the 21st march 1840 at Waiawa .I think she was a descendant of the 'Ngati Tahuhu ' iwi . (** > of interest many other guesses have been made on the name of John Tucker's supposedly - First marriage , including the most common one - " Kirimangu " <** )
In fact John's second child was going to be called " Maria " but his wife ' Raiha Pekama " told the minister , when baptising her ,to give her the First name of " Minnie " . I dont know for sure but I think she found out about his first long term relationship . " Maria " kept pushing John Tucker to marry her. Circumstances intervened over the next ( 6 ) to ( 7 years ) . First his mother died in 1862, He had been assisting his family with her ill Health . Then before his father got remarried , 1865 , John Tucker & Matilda Came back to " Bellevue " Kerikeri , to look after everything . In 1864 Matilda got married & he couldn't leave the homestead cause his father was still in Auckland . " Maria " by now had had enough of waiting for over 4 years , everything seemed to be put ahead of her . After warning " John Tucker " marry me now or it's all over , John , did nothing and the relationship ended . A few years later , " Maria Wakawiringa " married another european who was farming further north , and it is said she lived happily ever after . Back at " Bellevue " after his father died , John Tucker was left a sum of monies as his share of the family estate in his Fathers will.( ** > note that John Samuel Edmonds, had not changed his will to include his new wife ' Ellen Davies ' The family did assist her financially when their father died . < ** ) John & the rest of the family rented the homestead out ,to first a family of " Strongman's " living in that area as they couldn't agree on who should buy it off the others . John Tucker Edmonds ,1867 decided to buy a farm in Ngawhitu, Te Waimate. with the monies he had saved over six ( 6 ) years , plus the four hundred & sixty Pounds ( 460 pounds ) bequeathed to him from the Estate . I am still seaching the Lands & Survey Department for a plan of the farm he bought and have been doing so for over 12 years , without any luck . If any one knows the size of farm he bought , please inform all of us .it would complete this proven journal . The rest you know . John Tucker Edmonds Married " Raiha Pekama " at church & a registered Christian wedding and lived happily ever after . Till we meet again - regards - edmondsallan